Decorating the feedry

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As you decorate the feedry, remember that baby’s vision won’t be fully developed until about one year of age. A newborn can only see 20 to 25cm away—everything beyond that is blurry. So if you don’t get the room completely decorated before your baby arrives, don’t worry about it. Your newborn’s primary interest will be to stare at mum or dad. Black and white get baby's attention

High contrast, black-and-white objects may hold your young infant’s attention longest. Attach a black-and-white toy to baby’s cot or the handle of the infant carrier or car seat, where baby will have a chance to give it a good stare.

By the third month, your baby will begin looking for things farther away—across the room, for example. Colour is still hard to see, and nothing over a foot away is in focus, but baby gravitates to primary shades. To get an idea of what baby is seeing, squint and look around the room. Notice how easy it is to discern anything black, white, or red, and how pastel shades wash out. Stark patterns are easier to see than subtle ones.

Adding colour to the feedry

As baby’s colour vision continues to mature, all the colours of the rainbow will gradually come into view. Consider choosing a theme for the feedry that’s vibrant, with interesting patterns. Cot sheets with animals, wallpaper with bright flowers, curtains with fluffy clouds, or a mobile with multicoloured butterflies are great.

Dr. Bettye M. Caldwell Ph.D. Professor of Pediatrics in Child Development and Education

Our parenting advice is given as suggestions only. We recommend you also consult your healthcare provider, and urge you to contact them immediately if your question is urgent or about a medical condition.